Mindful Living Challenge – Avoiding Procrastination {Week Ten}

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“Waiting is just delaying your desired result.” – Kylie Francis

Any time I have a project that I’ve been putting off working on for a long time, my automatic response to being reminded of it is, I’ll do that another time.

My closet is a prime example of this. It will take a lot of work to empty it, decide on what I want to keep and what I want to throw out, then organize it back into a closet again. I look at big projects as one huge step instead of many little steps, which is what they actually are!

We tend to see various life changes, projects, etc. as huge things, instead of a sequence of many tiny things.

It’s easy for us to put off starting something (or finishing something) because our focus is the end result, which will always seems insurmountable.

When I decided two summers ago that I wanted to start drinking the right amount of water for my body, I knew that I wouldn’t get to that point in one day. I broke it down into steps, and I ended up learning so much along the way. It was discouraging sometimes, because for weeks, I had to force myself to drink water when I wasn’t even thirsty. However, I stayed focus on the end result while working toward it in a progressive, attainable manner. Instead of being discouraged by the fact that my body couldn’t handle sufficient hydration at first (i.e. I started retaining water), I knew that through work and determination, I would be able to comfortably drink eight glasses of water one day.

I think it’s crazy that so many people act like they’re proud procrastinators. I suppose they’re being sarcastic, but are they really owning the fact that they don’t get things done??

Making light of the fact that we don’t complete things we start is a dangerous way to live.

What if we were to instead rejoice over the fact that we’re always checking things off our to do list? I don’t think we should become self-conceited, or anything (haha), but it would be awesome if we all knew we were spending our days wisely. It feels lazy and wasteful to put things off, while in contrast, it feels so good to get things done!

This week, I’m encouraging you to avoid procrastination in this week of the Mindful Living Challenge. It can be a struggle to finally commit to a task or challenge you’ve been skirting for the longest time, but I can assure you, you will be so happy that you finally decided to do it today!

Here are some prompts for you to consider. You can answer them in the comments below if you’d like, but I also encourage you to simply answer them for yourself:

Is there anything in my life I’ve been putting off starting or completing?

Do I have everything I need to begin work on this thing?

What is stopping me from completing it?

Why do I want to do this thing in the first place?

What are my dream end results?

Why I Want To Avoid Procrastination:

Accomplishing things feels so much better than putting things off.

I want to learn the art of dedication and determination, even when I don’t exactly “feel” like it.

I want to spend my time as wisely as I can.

I want to look back at how I’ve prioritized and be proud of myself.

I want to enjoy my room without always feeling like there are huge projects that need doing.

Why do you want to avoid procrastination?
Will you join me on this challenge?

I really like your prompts/questions near the end! Hmm, photos are my biggest problem, I think. I feel the most guilty about them but maybe I need to change the thought patterns I’ve developed about them, or get into a better groove – or both! Thanks, great post!! 😊

I needed this today! It has given me the kick in the bum I needed to get things done. I especially found that your “what is stopping me from completing it” prompt to be useful. I’ll definitely be more mindful in the future.

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Thank you so much for visiting my blog! My name’s Maggie. <3 I adore following the Lord’s plan for my life, drinking coffee, reading books, and being creative. Dreaming of Guatemala is a Christian lifestyle site, where I delight in sharing what I’m learning, what I’m passionate about, and encouraging others along the way. Click here if you’d like to learn more about me!